Harmful Friendship
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eṉaittuṅ kuṟukuta lōmpaṉ maṉaikkeḻīi / maṉṟiṟ paḻippār toṭarpu.
Guard against even slight closeness with those who treat you as a friend in private but disparage you before others.
▸Other translations · Pope (1886) & Aiyar (1916)
“In anywise maintain not intercourse with those, / Who in the house are friends, in hall are slandering foes.”
“Behold the men that speak sweet in the closet but disparage in the assembly: do not approach them in any degree.”
Parimelazhagar’s commentary
13th century · public domainParimelazhagar’s own words come first, unaltered. The plain reading follows below.
மனைக் கெழீஇ மன்றில் பழிப்பார் தொடர்பு = தனியே மனைக்கண் இருந்துழி நட்பாடிப் பலரோடு மன்றின்கண் இருந்துழிப் பழிகூறுவார் நட்பு; எனைத்தும் குறுகுதல் ஓம்பல் = சிறிதாயினும் தம்மை நணுகுதலைப் பரிகரிக்க.
Source: Tamil Wikisource
Parimelazhagar explains that a person may behave as a friend when alone with someone in the house yet speak blamefully of that same person before an assembly. One should prevent even the slightest approach to such a relationship.